Troubadour (West Hollywood, California) facts for kids
Exterior of the Troubadour in 2006
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| Location | 9081 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, California |
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| Coordinates | 34°04′53″N 118°23′22″W / 34.08138°N 118.389399°W |
| Type | Nightclub |
| Genre(s) | Folk, singer-songwriters, rock, heavy metal |
| Seating type | standing |
| Capacity | 500 |
| Opened | 1957 |
| Website | |
| http://www.troubadour.com | |
The Troubadour is a famous music club in West Hollywood, California. It's located at 9081 Santa Monica Boulevard. This club first opened in 1957. It started as a coffee house on La Cienega Boulevard. Soon after, it moved to its current spot. The Troubadour has been open ever since.
It became a very important place for folk music in the 1960s. Later, it was a key spot for singer-songwriters and rock music. Many famous artists have performed there. In 2011, a movie called Troubadours: Carole King / James Taylor & The Rise of the Singer-Songwriter was made about the club.
Contents
The Famous Troubadour Club
Early Years: The 1960s
The Troubadour helped many artists become famous. These included Hoyt Axton, Jackson Browne, the Byrds, and Neil Diamond. Other stars like Elton John, Eagles, Carole King, and Joni Mitchell also played there. Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt, Linda Ronstadt, and James Taylor also started their careers at the club.
In the 1960s, Michael Nesmith from the Monkees sometimes hosted shows. The band Buffalo Springfield played their first show here in 1966. Randy Newman also began his career at the Troubadour.
A fun tradition in the early 1960s was the Monday night "Hoot." This was an open-mic show. Many future stars got their start by performing on these nights. Linda Ronstadt said it was the place to go if you wanted to be noticed.
A New Decade: The 1970s
On August 25, 1970, Neil Diamond introduced Elton John to the U.S. stage. Elton John played his first American show at the Troubadour. Funny people like Cheech & Chong and Steve Martin were also discovered here.
Many great musicians played in 1972. These included Carly Simon, Harry Chapin, Bill Withers, and Melanie. In 1974, Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band performed. Elton John returned in 1975 for special anniversary concerts. In November 2007, James Taylor and Carole King played together again. They celebrated the club's 50th birthday.
The Troubadour also featured new wave and punk bands. This was in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Bands like Bad Religion and Flipper played there.
Rocking On: The 1980s and 1990s
In the 1980s, the club became known for glam metal bands. Groups like Guns N' Roses, Mötley Crüe, and Poison performed. Guns N' Roses played their very first show at the Troubadour. They were discovered by a record company representative there.
The club also hosted other types of bands. These included Fiona Apple, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Radiohead. The band Incubus filmed parts of a music video at the club in 1995.
The Troubadour Today: 21st Century
In the 2000s, the Troubadour continued to feature many different artists. Bands like Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay, and Franz Ferdinand have played there. Jason Mraz and Joanna Newsom also performed.
Rise Against filmed five nights of shows for a DVD called Generation Lost. On April 1, 2016, Guns N' Roses played their first show with Slash and Duff McKagan back in the band. Grace VanderWaal started her first national tour at the Troubadour in November 2017.
Like many small businesses, the Troubadour faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. It started a fundraiser in May 2020. This helped the club raise money to stay open. In August 2020, Elton John celebrated his 50th anniversary of playing at the venue. He shared his hopes that the club would survive.
